Best Friends
by Lady of Quidditch
Summary: NOTE: Rating MIGHT be changed to NC-17 after I read my notes for the next chapters! Charlie's best friend from his Hogwarts days visits the Burrow. Will friendship turn to love, or will Charlie play Cupid?
1. Reunions

BEST FRIENDS  
By: Lady Weasley  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I love Charlie and Bill so much, and they don't get nearly enough book time (there isn't even a category for them!) Remember, flames will be used by Hermione to fry Professor Snape's robe yet again :D  
  
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, any of the Weasleys, or any fictional characters/places mentioned in J.K. Rowling's books are not mine. Embra(Ember) Serinth IS mine and mine alone, so there ;)  
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"Guess what, the whole family is gonna be there for summer, plus you and Hermonie!" Ron was so hyper his face matched his hair. "Maybe Charlie can help us practice Quidditch."  
  
"What is Charlie doing home from Romania?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well...something that will make Hagrid happy. There is going to be two Welsh Greens guarding the school. One lost its front right leg in a fight and the second is blind in its right eye. Neither would survive in the wild, and both are old and tame, so..." Ron's face lit up. "Yes, someone to save us from Percy!"  
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Laughing merrily on the train ride home, Harry, Hermione and Ron had insisted Ginny sit with them. Ginny and Harry had begun the slow process in becoming a couple, though both were taking it at a snail's pace.  
  
Arriving at King's Cross, instead of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, there was a weathered young man, with tanned skin and another with glasses, and the twins. "Charlie!" Both Ron and Ginny ran to hug their second oldest brother, then turned to Percy.  
  
"Aww, I missed you whining all the time, Perce," Ron said, hugging his other brother as well.  
  
Fred and George ambled over. "Is it just me, twin brother, or is our Percy looking more mature everyday?" Fred asked.  
  
"Why, I do believe so, twin brother," George replied. "And so very dapper, ever since he asked Penny to hook on the leash."  
  
"Stop it," Percy said, blushing, but a bit of pride filled his voice.  
  
"Yes, The third oldest Weasley married first, lucky devil," Charlie said, grinning.  
  
They loaded their things into the two Ministry cars that Percy had managed to borrow, chatting about the wedding, how Penny had asked Ginny to be a bridesmaid, and how dumb it was to worry about an even that wasn't happening for another year.  
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Arrival at the Burrow was a tangle of legs, bags and owls. Percy dropped Hedwig, so she retaliated by stealing his horn-rimmed glasses and flying off, having a very blind Percy yelling after her. Crookshanks got stepped on by George, and promptly tried to get himself confused with Fred, but the cat was too smart. Ginny and Harry were intelligent enough to get out of the way, as Charlie dropped Hermione's trunk on her foot, causing him to be promptly strangled.  
  
Eventually the mob made it into the house, where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat, reading the paper. Another flame haired person walked from the backroom.  
  
"Bill! What did you do to your hair? Oh no, Mom, how could you?" Ginny cried, throwing herself at her brother. His long ponytail had been replaced by a very fashionable cut, long on the sides, a few red hairs over his blue green eyes.  
  
"Oh no, don't worry about this. Actually it is Charlie's fault," he said, glaring at his brother.  
  
"Hey, did I tell you to walk right up to that Welsh?"  
  
"No but you could have warned me...."  
  
"BOYS!" Molly Weasley exclaimed. "If this is Charlie's fault, I think I owe him a reward."  
  
Charlie flipped his wrist and bowed. "Tis nothing, mother."  
  
Bill flipped his wand at Charlie, sending it flying, smacking the younger man in the head. "Ow," Charlie glared, then grinned.  
  
Ron laughed. "I miss being home...sometimes.  
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The group laughed the day through, helping to unpack for the summer, writing to parents and godfathers, clearing out gnomes, They also played a game of Quidditch only three chasers and one keeper. The teams consisted of: Bill, Fred, George, and Hermione; and Charlie, Percy, Ron, and Harry. Hermione managed to score twice and managed to knock Percy, who surprisingly offered to play, off his broom and onto Charlie, which sunk his broom into the ground. Ginny became resident medic, as she bandaged wounds and fussed like Madame Pomfrey.  
  
The groups washed up before dinner (because Mrs. Weasley gave the eight of them one look, then a very hard look at her clean kitchen floor) then helped set the tables outside.  
  
Mr. Weasley cleared his voice. "Ahem. Charlie, Bill, you will be having a guest over for dinner. Someone you two went to school with."  
  
Bill and Charlie looked up from their game of fork jousting. "Who is it, dad?" Charlie asked.  
  
"You'll see," Arthur Weasley said over the groans. "I just hope we survive the weeks they are here."  
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Molly Weasley could not hold the hungry mob back from dinner as she fretted. "Oh where can they be?"  
  
"Whoo-hoo!" came a call from behind her. A thing whizzed overhead, circled and giggling, grabbed Charlie by the waist.  
  
"Help! Insane creature after me!" he yelled. His kidnapper giggled, then slowly dropped to the ground. He found himself walking dizzily, as Bill got a good look at who it was.  
  
She was a tall girl, not nearly as tall as Bill, but close. Her black hair was layered, and colored streaks had been dyed into it. Her eyes were an aqua that tended to green. Her very white teeth sparkled on tan skin, and nine earring holes with gold hoops and studs graced each ear. Actually, she was covered in gold jewelry, and henna designs covered her hands.  
  
What was making most of the boys a little tense was her clothing, and later Harry asked Ron if such outfits were illegal. A golden tank that exposed her arms and most of her stomach was worn with black bell bottom-like pants that had a small slit at the ankles. She wore golden sandals.  
  
Charlie stood for a moment or two them yelled, "Ember!" and scooped her up into a hug.  
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Hmm...romance in the air for our little dragon boy? Or just his best friend returning....? 


	2. Sleeping Arangements

Gone was the shy, blushing girl, who usually graced the halls of Hogwarts, only looking determined during games of Quidditch when she needed to protect Charlie. It was like a Phoenix being reborn out of the fire.  
  
Charlie was not the only shocked one - Bill took a double take himself, as did Percy. "Amazing," Bill commented.  
  
Charlie held the young woman out at arm's length. "What...what in the world happened to you. You look like a muggle, whadaayacallit, pop star."  
  
"Close," Ember teased, "But no cigar. I am not a pop star, I am an _artiste_." She flashed a grin at him. "But to make some quick cash I have been working for the American Ministry of Magic. At least they don't tease me about my supposed accent there."  
  
Charlie thought back. That is how he and Ember had met - her first day of classes, and learning those two countries could be divided by a common language. After a few sixth year Slytherins cornering her and attempting to make her cry, little freckle faced Charlie tried to get them to stop. He had ended up with a broken nose and an admirer. That changed to friendship, then as bosom-buddies.  
  
"Ex...excuse me," Hermione asked softly. "How can you be American AND been able to attend Hogwarts?"  
  
Ember cocked her head. "Well, at the time my parents were beginning Wizarding School, they were living in London, and thus went to Hogwarts. After they married they moved to California, to work in the Ministry, as foreign diplomats. When I was eleven I got my letter to the Kasiar Academy, that caters to Americans. The school is quite nice, but my parents were adamant about me attending a school with a headmaster that could protect his students from the dark wizards that were left. They owled Dumbledore, and he accepted me." She patted Charlie's shoulder. "I'm glad he did."  
  
He could feel himself blushing. *Damn, when did she get so HOT?* Ember was always pretty, with her hair in intricate braids, and her clothing some of the finest ever designed. Maybe it was her newfound confidence on the ground as well.  
  
Bill had noticed his younger brother's embarrassment but felt himself also staring a bit hard. He had always known Ember to have a small crush on him, and he always admired her enough to have gone out with her if she had ever let her feelings known to him. Now he was even more disappointed.  
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Dinner was spent reminiscing about old times, and Ember's folklore about the United States. They were all excited to hear about the US, and laughed at her excitement of Quodpod. "Hey, it is challenging, and lots of fun," Ember protested loudly. She also glowing described football and baseball, and talked about the Super Bowl and the World Series.  
  
Bill discussed his new job. "Training Charm-Breakers," he said with a laugh. "Nice of them to think I am useful enough to want more of me."  
  
Percy actually let out a laugh. "But from what Maeri Pennis has been telling me, all the girls just stare and giggle. She should know, her sister Gazelle is one of them."  
  
Bill blushed, as everyone laughed, and he sunk slightly underneath the table. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," he muttered.  
  
Charlie grinned at his big bro. "Don't sweat it. You want bad? How about when I was trying to show those Romanian junior witches how we handle dragons? Three of them were braiding the leather leashes!" He shook the unpleasent memory from his head.  
wizards  
Dinner finished up, and with eight fully trained wizards and four wizards in training, the tables were quickly cleared. Ember yawned. "Back home."  
  
"Not this late at night," Molly shook her finger at the younger woman. "You are staying here tonight. Besides, you need to stay close by."  
  
"'K, Mrs. Weasley," Ember nodded.  
  
"I'll set up a cot in Ginny and Hermione's room for you."  
  
"Actually, do you mind....?"  
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Bill and Charlie made it up to their room and saw the extra cot. "Aw, no, not Percy. He snores!" Charlie cried.  
  
Bill shook his head, swinging his fanged earring. "Not that I'm getting any clean sleep tonight anyway. What happened to her?"  
  
"She grew up, it happenes to some people," Charlie replied, instantly jealous for some reason. "Deal with it."  
  
"Whoa, little bro, I'm not trying to invade your territory. It was just an innocent comment," Bill grinned.  
  
*Yeah, like you are also becoming the Minister of Magic tomorrow* Charlie thought grimly. *But why does this bother me?*  
  
A knock came at the door. "It's open, Perce."  
  
"It's not Percy, Charlie," came a feminine voice. "Open up."  
  
Ember stood in the doorway. "Come on, I'm tired. Can I borrow something to sleep in?"  
  
The boys looked at each other, and went to the small closet. Bill threw her a shirt and Charlie tossed over a pair of sweatpants. "Thanks."  
  
A few moments later she returned, extra pillow and blanket in tow. Bill jumped off his bed.  
  
"Mom, fussing again about us?" Bill asked.  
  
"Nope. She did remind me to tell you that we are all adults and that she is trusting us," Ember replied. "Ooh, I'll take that." She threw Bill's pillow and sheet onto the cot, and hopped on his bed. "Comfortable."  
  
Realizing their brains were on a several minute delay, the Weasley boys stared, amazed at each other. "You're staying here?"  
  
"Why not? If I get a migraine in the middle of the night, it won't bug me to wake you up. Well, g'night." Turning towards the wall, she was instantly asleep. Chuckling, Bill got onto the cot. *She's on MY bed*  
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End file.
